Ship&#39;s-draft-indicating means.



F. J. MENO. SHIPS DRAFT INDICATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1905.

922,933. Patented May 25, 1909.

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F. J. MENU. SHIPS DRAFT INDIOATING MEANS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1905.

"FREDERICK J MENO BY A Patented May 25, 1909.

2 SHEETS-BHEBT 2.

IN VEN TOR A TTORNE Y FREDERICK J. MENO, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

SHIPSDRAFT-INDIGATING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application filed November 6, 1905. Serial No. 286,168.

T 0 all 107mm it may concern:

Be itknownthat I, Fnnnnnrcn J. Mano, a fore eltizen of the United States, residing at Port ractically at the center line of the boat. A ine 12 of piping tapped preferably into Huron, in the county of St. (llair and State of i the side of the forward pipe 6 near its upper Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ships Draft Indicating Means, of which the following is a specification.

In the rapid loading of bulk cargo such as grain or ore, into vessels from bins or pockets and especially where either the cargo is not trinnued at all or is only roughly distributed by mechanical devices, it is very essential that the boat he kept on as level a keel as is possible, and that at no time the cargo be crmcentrate-d fore, aft or alnidships in order to avoid straining the hull. Furthermore, it is desirable that the boat be at proper trim for best speed and control. It is also necessary when approaching a shoal spot, that the exact, draft of the vessel, both forward and aft, be known. especially when the water depth and the draft ap roach each other as closely as they do on t ie Great- Lakes s vs tem where boats are often loaded to within an inch or so of the water depth at the bars or shoals along the course and where the boats are of extreme length compared with their depth.

This invention relates to means for indieating a ships draft at different points along the hull. either when the boat. is stationary or under way, whereby the conunanding oflicer may without stirring from his post either in the navigatofis room or other station. in-

stantly obtain the knowledge he desires.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the ap )ended claim.

In the drawings, igure 1 is a view in cross-section of a vessels hull equipped with an indicating system embodying features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammaticview in side elevation of the vessel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a ships hull of conventional standard construction having anouter skin or shell plating 2 tank top 3, brackets 4., stanchions 5, and other-frame members. An u right tube 6 extends from the skin through t 1e tank top near the stem, being secured bv flanges 7, its I lower end being open and the upper end closed by a screw cap or plug 8, similar tubes 9 and 10 being likewise secured anndslnps l l l l l l l l i l end above the tank top, eads to a pressure indicator gage 14 in the wheel house 15 of the piping lines 18 and 19 respectively, shut-off valves 20 and 21, and the gage cock 17.

An air pressure tank 22 char ed from the ship's compressor or any ot ier suitable source, is likewise connected by piping 23 so arranged as to be opened into any of the other lines and gage, preferably as indicated, a tank pressure gage 24 being placed so as to be thrown momentarily into communication with the tank through a suitable valve 25,

the valves and gages all being assembled so as to be within easy reach of the operator and collectively forming an observation station. It is evident that variations in the Water line of the boat will cause variations in the pressure exerted on the gage, one inchinorease in depth causing a certain deflection in the gage indicator; accordingly the gage 'reads in feet and inches corresponding to pounds pressure of displaced water in the submerged ipes which are always below the water evel.

In operation, the tank gage is first momentarily opened to see that there 15 o eratlve pressure in the. tank, that is, enoug i to displace water from anyof the pipes, then any one of the open ended pipesis connected with the tanr and with the indicator gage,

the water being forced out of the pipe by the coin ressed air and the. indicator moving unti the water is all out when it stands sta-,

the shi 's compressor or from any other 105 availab e source. Thus the @lllCQl in charge can tell at a. momentwithout trouble the drat of the vessel, either forward, aft or and a-stern, near the keelson 11, and there- 55 The capacity of the tank is the combination with a vessels hu amidships, waves not disturbin the gage,

and motion of the vessel through the water not affecting it. Obviously tubes may be inierltled at as many points as desired along the Qne feature of the invention is the arrangement of the piping whereby the submerged tubes may be cleared if fouled, by the removal of the plugs closing the upper ends and the insertion of proper cleaning implements therethrough.

Obviously, the details of the invention may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

I claim as my invention Ships draft indicating means com rising of a plurality of tubes within the hull at intervals along the bottom secured at their lower open ends in the outer skin of the hull, a pneumatically operated indicator gage at an observation station in the hull remote from the tubes, pipes connecting each tube with the gage, a controlling hand valve in each pipe at the station near the gage, an air pressure tank in the hull, a pressure gage therefor at the observation station, a single line of pipe comiecting the tank with the indicator gage and with the pressure gage, and a shut off valve for the pressure ga e at the station, said controlling valves each being adapted to throw its ipe into simultaneous communication witii the indicator gage and the tank pipe, and said valves and gages being within "operative range of a person atthe station.

FREDERICK J. MENO.

Witnesses:

* PETER N. STOVER,

' v.0. MILLS. 

